Gilbertsville man accused of $1.4M theft from company

TREDYFFRIN ­­— A 29-year-old former executive of a township gift company was arrested Wednesday amid accusations he stole about $1.4 million over four years, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.

Authorities say Guido la Vella, of Gilberstville, used his position as the chief financial officer of Taylor Gifts Inc. to line his pockets with company funds. Officials said the thefts were discovered after a bank teller alerted the company that large amounts of money were transferred out of a company account.

“The defendant abused his position of trust in the company to line his own pockets,” said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan. “While Americans everywhere were struggling to find jobs and make ends meet, the defendant was living the high life by stealing from his own employer. This was not a crime of need, it was a crime of simple greed.”

According to a criminal complaint filed by investigators, Taylor Gifts hired a financial consulting firm, Citrin Cooperman & Co., to perform an audit after the bank teller alerted it of the suspicious transfers. The company also notified the Tredyffrin Police Department and the Chester County Detectives.

Advertisement

Investigators said la Vella stole from the company by charging personal items to his credit card and later sought reimbursement for the purchases, claiming them as business expenses.

The audit and investigation also revealed that la Vella used his position’s access to the company’s bank accounts and reimbursement procedures to duplicate and fraudulently cash reimbursement checks, according to authorities.

Law enforcement officials said la Vella was using the stolen funds to live a lavish lifestyle. He owned several high-end automobiles, including a BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Fiat. Authorities said he also used $48,000 of company money to attend a concert and meet-and-greet with the Dave Matthews Band and also purchased Tiffany’s jewelry, Philadelphia Eagles season tickets, and other personal items.

La Vella was charged with felony theft, forgery, and related offenses. He remains free on $100,000 unsecured bail, according to court records.

Frank Ruthkosky, the CEO of Taylor Gifts, thanked local police and county law enforcement for their help in discovering the thefts.

“Taylor Gifts would like to thank the Tredyffrin Police Department and the Chester County Detectives for their diligent work in making this arrest,” Ruthkosky said. “Taylor Gifts remains a strong and growing company. We look forward to seeing the defendant brought to justice.”

La Vella’s attorney, Robert J. Donatoni of West Chester, said his client is cooperating with investigators and has made efforts to pay back what was taken.

“Mr. la Vella has been aware of this investigation for several months and has been cooperating with law enforcement. He is accepting responsibility and has paid back approximately $100,000 to Taylor Gifts and will continue to make efforts to minimize the financial and other collateral damage,” Donatoni said.

Hogan said the arrest should serve as a message that companies should institute procedures to closely monitor financial transactions.

“This case is another example of the necessity for all businesses to create tight accounting controls over expenses,” Hogan said. “Payments need to be checked by multiple people and periodically reviewed by outside sources, such as accountants or auditors. Unfortunately, a determined insider often will be able to avoid detection for some period of time. But, as shown by the Tredyffrin Township Police Department and Chester County Detectives, we always catch up to the bad guys at the end of the day.”

“We see that again due to a great working relationship and partnership, Chester County law enforcement agencies were able to work a complex financial case to a very successful conclusion,” Giaimo said. “I would say that this should send a clear message that Chester County law enforcement is tough on crime. This case also reinforces the need to have trained investigators who can help protect Tredyffrin’s businesses.